Chapter 132
Nora's POV
"She won't hurt you." Julian's hand settled on my shoulder, warm and solid. "She's just observing you."
Lily stood and walked toward me, step by step. She stopped one pace away, tilting her head and studying me with unsettling focus.
"She's confirming whether you're 'family,'" Julian murmured near my ear. "Want to pet her? She likes it."
I forced myself to breathe and extended a trembling hand. Lily's nose touched my palm first—cold, wet, carrying a sense of judgment. Then she pushed her head up into my fingers.
"Good girl," Julian said quietly. "See? You're okay."
I cautiously stroked Lily's head, and seeing her tail wag, I grew bolder. The tension in my shoulders gradually released. "She's actually... very gentle."
"She knows good people." Julian's fingers gently clasped my other hand, his thumb brushing once across my knuckles. "Come on, let me show you around."
He led me through the courtyard, past the rectangular pond where several orange koi swam leisurely. Pepper squirmed in my arms a few times, broke free, and bolted straight toward the water.
"Julian—"
Pepper chose that moment to launch his assault, throwing himself onto the pond's edge without hesitation, paws planted on the rim, completely focused on the fish in the water. Lily immediately walked over and nudged him backward with her nose.
Pepper protested with a yowl but obediently retreated, though his eyes never left the fish.
I couldn't help laughing. "Are they always like this?"
"Always." Julian's laugh was genuine, completely unguarded. "Lily's been watching over him since he was small. She thinks she's the parent."
"I can see that."
We stood there watching the cat and dog—guardian and guarded. Something in my chest quietly settled. This wasn't just a house. It was a home. A warm, safe place Julian had built brick by brick.
A home he wanted to share with me.
"Nora."
He suddenly pulled me close, one arm circling my waist, the other cradling the back of my head. Before I could process what was happening, his mouth found mine.
His hand tightened on my waist, pulling me flush against him as he deepened the kiss. I felt the solid warmth of his chest, the controlled strength in how he held me.
My hands found his shoulders, gripping tight as I kissed him back with equal intensity. Heat pooled low in my stomach. The world narrowed to just this.
When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard. He rested his forehead against mine, voice rough. "Missed you. All day."
"It's only been one day," I managed, slightly dizzy.
"Too long."
I could feel the tension in his body, the barely restrained desire. It should have scared me. Instead, it sent another wave of heat through my veins.
Julian looked at me.
"I mean it," his voice was low. "Every word. I want you here."
"Julian..."
"You don't have to answer now." He took my hand, fingers intertwining. "Just... think about it. Please?"
I squeezed his fingers. "I will. I promise."
His shoulders relaxed. "Thank you."
At the worst possible moment, my stomach growled.
Loudly.
Julian's laugh rumbled through his chest, and I could feel it because we were pressed together.
"I—" My face burned. "I barely ate anything at lunch."
He laughed harder, the sound bright and genuinely delighted. "Come on. Let me feed you before you pass out."
---
I settled onto the living room sofa as Julian headed for the kitchen.
"What do you want to eat?" Julian called out. "We can go out, or I can order something."
I shook my head, suddenly exhausted. "I don't want to go anywhere. Too tired."
He appeared in the kitchen doorway, leaning against the frame. "I should warn you—my cooking skills are extremely limited."
"How limited?"
"Scrambled eggs and toast. Maybe a salad if you're feeling adventurous."
I couldn't help smiling. "Eggs and toast sounds perfect."
His eyes softened. "Really?"
"Really."
I watched him move around the kitchen, surprisingly efficient despite his disclaimer.
"Bacon?" he called over his shoulder, half-hidden as he rummaged in the refrigerator.
"Yes."
"Good answer."
I leaned back into the cushions, letting the day's tension slowly drain away.
---
Dinner was simple but perfect. Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, buttered toast. I ate everything on my plate while Julian watched with quiet satisfaction, like feeding me was some kind of personal victory.
"You looked ready to collapse," he said, refilling my water glass. "When was the last time you had a proper meal?"
"This morning. Maybe." I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Work's been insane."
His jaw tightened. "You need to take better care of yourself."
"Says the man who probably survives on coffee and files."
"That's different."
"How?"
"Because I'm not your responsibility." His eyes held mine. "But you are mine."
The words landed heavy in my chest. Not possessive. Protective. Like a promise.
I pushed back from the table before I could overthink it. "I should get going. It's late."
Julian stood immediately, following me to the door. I dug my keys from my pocket, holding them out. "I should return this."
His hand closed over mine, stopping me. "Keep it, Nora. I want you to know this place is always open for you."
I nodded, tucking the key back into my pocket. He walked me through the foyer, and I noticed him tapping something on a security panel by the door. A scanner lit up.
"Put your finger here."
I blinked. "What?"
"Your face and fingerprint. For the door system." He gestured to the panel. "So you can come and go without needing a key."
My stomach flipped. "That's... a lot of access."
"I want to do this." Julian's hand settled on the small of my back.
I pressed my finger to the scanner. It beeped once, confirming the registration. The weight of it settled over me—another thread binding us together, another piece of evidence that he wanted me woven into his life.